Mechanism for transporting section-spacing blocks in book-binding machines



Aug. 8, 1933. o. MULLER 1,921,201

IECHANISH FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet l *fi AF- 1 76- 1% 1933- o. MULLER 1,921,201

MECHANISM FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll --z 1w Wu? H writ,

m A ZM/(mz 0. MULLER Aug; 8, 1933.

MECHANISM FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 m f w e v k f 3 Im j i 5 Mr H I a i l|l| M /v ||IH Q 4 w w v L I HUN. ...\V1|l J\ W a, I I 3 1 I o O 051 7- WaL/[er Aug. 8, 1933. Q MUL E 1,921,201

MECHANISM FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ll-lml L vex/fa r:

Aug. 8, MULLER MECHANISM FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 8, 1933. Q MULLER 1,921,201

MECHANISM FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPAGING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING MACHINES Filed Sept,. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 8, Q U LER MECHANISM FOR TRANSPORTING SECTION SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK BINDING IACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 iszrzm MECHANISDI FOR TRANSPORTING SEC- TION-SPACING BLOCKS IN BOOK-BIND- ING MACHENES- Oscar Miillcr, Leipzig-Plagwitz, Germany, as-

signor to Gebrud-er Brehrner, Leipzig-Plagwitz, Germany, a Limited Partnership of Germany Application September 28,1931, Serial Ne.5 65,661, and in Germany January 21, 1931 20 Claims.

The present invention relates to book-binding machines in which book-sections are bound together in the form of a continuous book-pad, and is more particularly concerned with such machines wherein spacing blocks are inserted between each two completely assembled books, during the formation of the book-pad.

The use of such blocks is to enable the binding means to be readily and accurately severed between the books as desired. This severing operation may be performed manually, or mechanically as described in the co-pending applications of Andre Rivlois and Oskar Muller, No. 501,128, dated 9th December, 1930, and Oscar Kleinschmit and Oskar Muller, No. 570,246, dated 21st October 1931, and it is desirable, more particularly when the book severing operation is performed mechanically, to return automatically the freed spacing blocks to the inserting station of the machine.

According to the method of the present invention of transporting section-spacing blocks in a book-binding machine, a travelling block holder is caused to engage a section block and then deposit the said block in or near its position of insertion into a book-pad.

In order to carry this method into effect,

mechanism may be provided whereby the sec-- tion-spacing block, upon being released from the severed book-pad, is seized by gripper mechanism mounted on oscillatory armswhich latter are moved in such a manner that the block is transported to the inserting station or alternatively placed directly in or near the requisite position in the book-pad during the assembling of the latter. This transporting movement can be effected either under, over or laterally of the machine in order to return the blocks to positing the section block upon the collecting tray.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the block transporting mechanism in the inoperative position.

Fig. 7 is a View of the section block-clamp or holder taken at right angles to Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the book-binding machine is of the usual thread stitching type provided with oscillating arms 4, 5 mounted on a horizontal shaft 3 and serving to support a sheet carrier or saddle, 6. sheet or book section 8-, in turn, is placed upon the sheet carrier and conveyed to the stitcher head 7, which, if desired, incorporates the usual backing strip guide 7a. The sheet or book-section is thus stitched and then added in known' manner to the book-pad B. Between the last section or each stitched book and the first section of the subsequent book a section-spacing block 9 is inserted. The section blocks are supported at their extremities upon guides or rails 74, 75 extending longitudinally of the machine and for the purpose of this invention, angle irons or bars v64;, 65 are associated with the rails 74, 75 respectively and serve to prevent the section block from lifting upwardly from the rails. During the stitching of the succeeding book-sections, the book-pad, together with the inserted section blocks, is progressed forwards towards a mechanically operated device or devices for severing and separating the individual books of the said book-pad. Such severing devices need not be described in connection with this invention. 7

The section-spacing block which are released by the separation of the books from the bookpad are then returned to the feeding or inser-- tion point adjacent the stitching head and one arrangement according to this invention for performing this block transporting operation is as follows:

A horizontal shaft 13 (Figs. 1 to 4) journalled in the side frames 10, 11 of the machine, has mounted thereon the oscillating arms 14, 15. The double reference numbers in each case represent duplicate parts positioned to the left and Each 'clined collecting tray as right-hand sides of the machine as will be seen in Fig. 2. A section-block clamp or holder C (see more particularly Figs. 5 and '7), is mounted upon the free extremity of each arm 14; and 15 and is caused to travel, togeth r with the ap propriate arms, along a path indicated by P (Fig. 1).

The right-hand section block clamp or holder C comprises an ange piece 17 slidably mounted in a slot 17a formed in the extremity of the arm 15, and a lower clam ing member 1 pivotally attached to the a i' le piece 17. The member 19 is provided at s free extremity with a hook 1% having a bevelled nose, and is urge; upwards by a spring v31. The bev lled hook member 19 deflected against the s tension when the bevelled nose of the hook is ch c sprii g 2 30. secured to the arm 15 engages the me .ober l7 normally, it towards the open end of the slot 170. (Fig. 6).

The arm 14 provid d with. a slot ice at its lower extremity adap to support a sin 'lar block clamping or holding ice comprising a slidable member 16, a pivotal hook d member 18 and controlling springs 29 and 3S.

Rollers 56, 6'7 are journalled upon the lower extremities of the arms 14, 15 respectively for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The members 13 and 19 are each provided with a downwardly projecting bracket supporting a trip me 1})(31 ,29 which effects the release of the block from the Clamping means as will hereinafter be. described.

Two brackets 21, 22, upstanding from the main frame of the machine, serve to support an inwhich extends downwardly towards the stitching head at the front of the machine.

Cam-faced members 27 are mounted on the sides of the tray 23 at the upper end thereof and in co-operation with the tri ping members 29 serve to release the section blocks held by the clamping members C. v

Associated with the members Z'Tare bio-cl: r taming devices which com; rise leverspivoted to the arms 21, an c...rr engaging lugs or steps l6, l7 whichar positioned in the path or" and engage the transported blocks when the latter are released the clamps C; I

The levers 24, 25 are provided with shaped extension pieces 68, 69 as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and which are engaged and depressed by the rollers, 66, 6'? carried by the arms 14, 15. The stops '76, 7? and levers 534, 25 are normally held in the block engaging position by means of the springs '78, '71.

The drive of the block transporting device is initiated by the cam slotted eccentric i4 mounted'on. the shaft 43 which is driven through the machine drive gears 45, 46 and the block tran porting movement is transmitted to the arms 14, 15 by means of an upwardly moving toothed rack 42 which has a pivotal slotted or t: connection with a cam follower roller engaging the eccentric 44; The toothed rack 42 enga es a pinion ll which is freely mounted upon 1d capable of clutched driving connection with the shaft 13. By means of thereciprocatory movement of the rack-42, the arms 14, 15 are thus oved through the path of travel indicated by (Fig. l).

clutch connection of the pinion 41 and shalt 13 as shown more particularly in Fig. 2 is anged as follows:

A sl -e 38 is slidably keyed on the shaft 13 and attache thereto a finger or lever 39 by which it is slidably moved along the shaft against the influence of a compression spring w ich held on the extremity of the shaft cetwecn the lever 39 and a suitable abutment. he sleeve 33 is provided with a diametrical ch, when permitted to do so, engages .metrical slot formed in the opposing ace of he pinion 41 and thus utches the shaft engagement with the ely rotated pinion Normally themembcrs 38 and 41 are held out of engagement.

olling device for the above described ianism bomanually or automatiy actuated and comprises, in this'construcizontal lever 32 mounted on a vertical dle 32:, which is supported by a brackcarries'at its lower-extremity a rlever 33,, connected thereto by a joi'j 'and linked to'one arm of a bell-' unive I crank er which is pivotally mounted on an extension of the machine frame 10. The second the bell-crank lever 34 is connected, by of the tie rod'35 to a horizontally hinged clutching member 35 also mounted on the mach ne frame 10 (Fig. 2). The hinged part the member 36 is normally held .in the de- Pr erably, the drive for the block transport,

ing ice is arranged with a gear ratio of 1: 2 so that each operative movement of the swingin arms 14', 15 extends over two stitching operations of the machine. The operation of the above described block transporting device is as follows:--

A section block 9 is released each time a book s parated from the stitched boolopad shown 1 and he clutch controlling mechanism is actuated either by hand or by interaction with severing mechanism such as that described in the abovehumbered co-pending applications. When the" arm or lever 32 is actuated the tie rod 35, through levers 33 and 34, is drawn downwards. Tie de-clutching member 36 is thus tripped out of engagement with the finger 39 and so permits the sleeve 38, urged by the spring 40, to engage the constantly driven pinion 41.

The arms 14, 15 which are in the normal inoperative position shown in Figs. 4' and 5 are thereupon swung in an anti-clockwise direction along the path of travell and" so bring the clamping members C into engagement with the' released section block 9 (Fig. 1). The slotted spring-held connections between the clamps C- and arms 14; 15 provide shock absorbing buffers when the blocks are thus engaged and so prevent damage or shock. to the book-pad and component parts of the machine. The section block, by reason of the angle irons 64, 65, is prevented from lifting from the rails 74, and the bevelled noses of the pivotal clamp members 18', 19 are pressed against the section block and so depressed to pass under the said block whereupon, urged by the blade springs 30, 31, the hooked portion of the members 18, 19 engage the lower edge of the block and in association with the members 16, lTfirmly clamp the section block.

Immediately the seizure of the section block is completed, the arms 14, 15 commence to move upwards and, together with the clamps and section block held thereby, move towards the upper edge of the collecting tray 23. When the clamps C and section block 9 reach the position shown in Fig. 3 the trip members 28, 29 on the clamp members 18, 19 are engaged by the cam-faced members 26, 27 and deflected against their retaining springs 30, 31 so releasing from the clamps C the section block held thereby. The latter slides into the upper part of the tray 23 and is momentarily held by the stops '76, '77 carried on the pivotal levers 24, 25 while the arms 14, 15 and clamps C complete their forward movement to the normal position of rest shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the completion of this movement the rollers 66, 67 engage the extensions 68, 69 of the pivotal levers 24, 25 and depress the lever extensions against the action of the springs 79, '71 so that the levers 24, 25 are moved about their respective pivots to remove the stops '76, '77 from the path of the section block or actually to register the stops with the recesses provided as is usual at the extremities of the section block (Fig. 4). The latter, when released, slides downwardly into the collecting tray to await a further insertion into the continuously stitched book-pad.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 5a, an arrangement is provided according to the invention for transporting the released section block directly to the point of insertion of the section blocks into the book-pad, and, if desired, automatically re-inserting the transported section block into the stitched book-pad.

For this purpose a block runway or shute 230: which may comprise two spaced angle-irons is substituted for the collecting tray and is shaped to extend from above the machine to the point of insertion of the section blocks into the stitched book-pad.

In order to enable the section blocks to be inserted directly into the book-pad the lower extremities of the runway or shute may be joined to or form part of the section block rails or guides '74, as shown in Fig. 5.

As in the above described arrangement, pivotal arms 14, 15 are provided with block-clamping devices 16, 1'7 and 18, 19 which automatically engage the released section block and transport the latter to the head or upper extremity of the runway or shute where the release of the block held by the clamps is effected as above described.

The block, thus released, gravitates down the shute 23a and is thereupon controlled by further block handling mechanism arranged in the following manner:-

The sides or angle iron guides forming the shute or runway are curved at their lower extremities to guide the section blocks to the point of insertion and the curved portion of each guide is left open or slotted on its outer face. Immediately above the curved portions of the guides, and on the outer faces thereof, downwardly extending arms 47, 48 are pivotally mounted and carry stops 49,50 which extend inwardly through the open sides of the guides a slidable toothed driving rack 63.

and so into the path of the section block 9 as the latter moves downwards along the shute. The stops 49, 50 are provided with outwardly projecting cam-faced portions 49a, 50a for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

Upwardly extending blade springs 51, 52 rigidly fixed to the arms 47, 48 are adapted, when rocked about the pivot pins 47a, 48a, toengage the recessed extremities of any section blocks which may be lodging upon the lowermost section block held by the stops 49, 50.

Arms 56, 5? are pivotally mounted on the machine frames so that their free extremities move along a radial path in the curved, slotted portions of the side guides forming the shute 23a. Tripping lugs 72, '73 are mounted on the free extremities of the arms 56,57 being suitably positioned to engage the outwardly projecting cam faces 49a, 50a of the steps 49, 50 While pivotally mounted spring-held fingers 58, 59 are also mounted upon the free extremities of the said arms. The sides of the shute guides, at the upper extremities of the curved portions thereof are formed with inclined deflecting surfaces 60, 61 which are adapted to engage and deflect from the path of travel of the blocks the resiliently mounted fingers 58, 59.

The arms 56, 5? are rigidly mounted upon a pivotal shaft 55 which also carries a pinion 52 engaging a stationary toothed guiding rack and The latter is actuated from the machine drive by means of a timing eccentric to which it may have a slotted, crank connection similar to that 'described in reference to the actuation of the arms 14, 15. The movement of the arms 56, 57 may be controlled manually or mechanically by means of a clutch device similar to that controlling the movement of the arms 14, 15 and the operation of the last described mechanism is as follows:

When released from the transporting clamp C, as previously described, the section blocks gravitate down the shute 23a and pile upon the stops 49, 50 normally positioned in the path of travel thereof. The arms 56, 57 are timed to move in accordance with the stitching operations performed upon the book-pad sections and at the requisite moment move upwardly from the position of rest shown in Fig. 5. During this upward movement the trip members 72, '73 engage the outwardly projecting cam faces 49a, 50a of the stops 49, 50 and so move the latter, against the action of the blade springs 53, 54. The stops are thus moved from the path of the lowermost section block 9 while the blade springs 51, 52 rigidly mounted on the arms 47, 48, are rocked to the right and so engage and hold from movement the block or blocks 9 lodged on the lowermost block which is now released from the stops 49, 50.

During the continued upward movement of the arms 56, 57, the resiliently mounted fingers 58, v

59 engage the deflecting surfaces 60, 61 and are thus deflected outwards from the path of the,

releases from the pressure of the trip members '72, 73 the block stops 49, 50 which thereupon move inwards to intercept the following block which is at this moment released from the pressure of the blade springs 51, 52.

The arms 56, 57 must, of course, be timed to return immediately from the point of insertion of the block order to clear the path of travel of the sheet carrier 5 vhen the first section or signature of the subsequent "cock is stitched.

The actuatrm of the clutch controlling means in either of the above described embodiments may be caused by the moving section block as the latter actuates the book severing device as described in the above numbered applications or alternatively by arranging f the foremost section block in the pad, durmg its advance, to en gage and trip through a suitable linkage the clutching member 36.

Block clamps have been more specifically deiced anc referred to in the above constructional embodiments of the invention but it is obvious that any suitable arrangement of block holder or carrier could he used in carrying into effect the invention defined in the appended claims.

It is not desired to limit this invention. to specific arrangement of means for controlling the mechanical transport to the point of insertion of the section block from the advancing book-pad.

What I claim 1. In a book-binding machine for producing interconnected book-pads, means for transporting a section-spacing block, comprising a blockcollecting tray, a block holder, means for engaging a section-spacing block with the said holder, means for transporting the said holder and block held thereby towards tray, and means for releasing automatically from the block holder the said block so that the latter is deposited in the said tray.

2. In a book-binding machine for producing interconnected book-pads, means for transporting a section-spacing block comprising a block shute extending to the point of insertion into the book-pad of the spacing blocks, a block.- holder, means for engaging a section spacing block with the said holder, means for moving the block-holder and block held thereby towards the block shute, means for releasing automatically the block from the said holder so that the released block is deposited in the block shute, and means for regulating the insertion of the said block into the book-pad.

3. Apparatus for transporting section-spacing blocks in a book-binding machine, comprising a block-holder, pivotal arms supporting said block-holder, means for moving the said arms and block-holder through a reciprocatory path of travel, a section-block selecting device positioned at one end of the path of travel of the said block-holder, a block releasing device associated with the said block collecting device and adapted to engage the said block-holder, means for engaging the block holder with a sectionspacing block rele sed from a book-pad at the further end of the path of travel of the said block holder, and means for controlling the travel of the said pivotal arms and block holder.

4. Apparatus for transporting section-spacing blocks in a book-binding machine, comprising a block-holder, pivotal arms supporting said holder, means for moving the said'arms and holder through a reciprocatory path of travel,

guide a section-block guiding shute positioned at one end of the path of travel 'of the said arms, blockreleasing mechanism associated with the guiding shute and adapted to be engaged by the said block-holder, means for controlling the movement of the said pivotal arms, and means associated with the said guiding shute for controlling the block released from the said holder.

5. Apparatus for transporting section-spacing blocks in a book-binding machine, comprising pivotal arms, at least one block holder mounted at the free extremities of the arms, means for oscillating said arms, means for controlling the movement of these-id armaa block releasing device positioned in the path of travel of the said arms, a block'collecting member associated with the block releasing device, and means for depositing the transported block in the blockcollecting member.

6. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a book-pad trough, section-spacing block guide rails mounted above said book-pad trough,oscillatory arms pivoted above said guide rails, block-holders supported at the free extremities of said oscillating arms, a block-collecting member associated with said machina'a block releasing device mounted on said block-collecting member, a machine drive, means for actuating the said oscillatory arms from the machine drive, a controlling device to regulate the drive of the said arms, and means for actuating the said controlling device.

7. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a machine drive, a book-pad trough, section-spacing block guide rails mounted above said book-pad trough, upwardly extending supporting brackets, a shaft journalled in said brackets, a releasable clutch member coupling said shaft to said machine drive, oscillatory arms rigidly mounted on said shaft, block-holders secured to the free extremities of the arms, a block-collecting member, means lor moving the said arms and block-holders in a path extending between the section-block guide rails and the I block-collecting member, means for engaging the said block-holders with a section-spacing block released from the book-pad, means for releasing the said block when tran ported to the blockcollecting member, and means for depositing the released block in the block-collecting member.

8. In a book-binding machine, the combination as claimed in claim '7, wherein the block collecting member comprises a block-guiding shute extending from the block releasing means to the rear extremities of the block guide rails, a block controlling device associated with said shute, and means to engage and urge said block to its "position of 're-insertion into the book-pad. I

9. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a machine frame, a machine drive, a bookpad trough, section-spacing: block guide rails mounted above said book-pad trough, blockretaining angle pieces associated with said guide rails, upwardly extending supporting brackets secured to said machine frame, a shaft journalled in said brackets, a diametrically slotted pinion wheel freely mounted on said shaft, 2. diametrically flanged sleeve sliclably keyed to said shaft, meansfor'driving said pinion from said machine drive, means for engaging said pinion and said sleeve, means for withholding from engagement said pinion and said sleeve, at least one arm rigidly fixed to said shaft, a blockholder secured to'the free extremity of each arm,

ist

means for engaging said holder with a sectionspacing block released from the bookpad, a block-collecting member, means associated with last mentioned member for releasing said block. from said holder and means for depositing said block in the block-collecting member.

10. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a machine frame, a machine drive, a bookpad trough, section spacing blocl: guide rails mounted above said trough, oscillatory arms supported above said guide rails, angle pieces slicably mounted in slots formed in the free extremities of said arms, a movable clamping member having a hooked bevelled nose pivoted to each angle piece and spring-urged into the engaging position, clutched driving means for oscillating said arms, controlling means for regu lating the movement of the said arms, a block collecting member, means associated with said block collecting member for releasing said block from the said clamping means, and means for depositing the released block in the bloclcollecting member.

11. In a bookbinding machine, in combination, a machine frame, a book-pad trough, lection-spacing-block guide rails positioned above said trough, section block-holders, means for moving said holders to engage a section-spacing block released from the book-pad, a block collecting member supported by the machine frame, movable block-stops positioned in the said block collecting member, pivotal arms supporting said stops, curved arms forming extensions of said pivotal arms, block releasing members associated with said pivotal arms and adapted to engage said block-holders, members associated with said block-holders adapted to engage the said extensions and trip said pivotal arms and block-stops carried thereby, and means for timing the movement of the said blocl holders.

12. In a book-binding machine, the combination claimed in claim 11, wh rein the block collecting member comprises a guide shute extending from the bloc: releasing mechanism to the point of re-insertion or" the said block, and means associated with said shute for urging the blocinto its operative position.

13. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a machine frame, a book-pad trough, section-spacing-block guide rails positioned above said trough, section block holders, heaps for moving said holders to engage a section-spacing block released from the hook-pad, a bio-cl: collecting member supported by the machine frame, a block-releasing device associated with the block-collecting member, pivotal arms mounted on the upper extremity of said block-collecting member, block-stops supported by said arms and normally positioned in the path or" travel of the block released from the block-holders, shaped extension pieces forming part of said pivotal arms, springs anchored to the said extensions to hold normally the block-stops in the operative position, roller members associated with said section block-holders and adapted to engage said extension pieces and so move the block-stops from the path of the section-block, and means for timing the movement of the said section block-holders.

14. In a book-binding machine, the combination claimed in claim 13, wherein the block-collecting member comprises a guiding shute extending to the point of reinsertion of the block into the book-pad, and a block-controlling device associated With the said shute and adapted to engage and urge the blocks individually into the operative position.

15. In a book-binding machine, in combination, a machine frame, a book-pad trough mounted in said machine frame, section-block guide rails mounted above said book-trough, a block-collecting shute extending to the point of re-insertion of the section block into the bookpad, block-releasing means associated with said block collecting shute, a blocl-:holder, means for e gaging said block-holder with a block released from the book-pad, means for moving said blockholder and the block held thereby towards said block-releasing device, means for depositing said block in the block collecting shute, pivotal stops associated With the lower extremity of the said shute and normally spring-held in the path of travel oi the section-blocks deposited in the said shute, block-clamping members associated with said stops, pivotally mounted arms associated With the lower extremity of the said shute, stopderlecting members carried by the said arms and adapted to engage and deflect from their operative position the said spring-held stops, block engaging fingers mounted on the said arms, cam faced deflecting members associated With the said shute'and adapted to engage and deflect from the path of the released block the said block-engaging fingers, and means for subsequently contacting the said block-engaging fingers with the said block to urge the latter into its operative position relative to the book-pad.

16. In a book-binding machine, in combina tion, a machine drive, at least one stitcher head, a swinging s est-carrier adapted to position signatures beneath the stitcher heads for stitching, a book-pad trough, section block guiding rails mounted above said book-pad trough, a blockguiding shute extending from above saidstitcher head to the front extremities of the said guidi r ils, a block transporting device comprising at least one block-holder adapted to oscillate between the book-pad trough and the upper eX- tremity of the blow-guiding shute, means for timing the movement of the block-transporting device relatively to the drive of the machine, means for controlling the movement of the said block-transporting device, means for engaging the said block clamping members With a section block released from the book-pad, means for releasing the block from the said transporting device, for depositing said released block in the guiding shute, a block-controlling device associated with the said guiding shute, and adapted to retain momentarily the block in its travel along the shute, means for releasing each block individually from the retaining device, means for timing th release or" said block in accordance With the stitching operations performed upon the book-pad, and means for positively positioning the block in its operative position in the said book-pad.

17. In a boolobinding machine adapted to produce an interconnected book-pad, the provision of block-holder, means for engaging said holder with a section-spacing block released from the book-pad, and means associated With said blockholder for transporting block to a position substantally adjacent the point of insertion of said block into the book-pad.

18. In a book-binding machine adapted to produce an interconnected book-pad, the provision of a block-holder, means for engaging said 20. In a book-binding machine adapted to produce an interconnected book-pad, the provision of a block-holder, arranged to engage automatically a block released from the book-pad, block guides leading to the position of insertion of said block into the book-pad, means associated with said block-holder for placing said released block in said guides, and means for moving said block along said guides to the point of insertion of said block into the book-pad.

, OSKAR MI'JLLER. 

